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Jim Davis

Jim Davis

Actor · Died April 26, 1981, aged 71 · Edgerton, Platte County, Missouri, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jim Davis (born Marlin Davis, August 26, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American actor, best known for his role as Jock Ewing in the CBS prime-time soap opera, Dallas, a role which continued until he was too ill from a terminal illness to perform. He was known as Jim Davis by the time of his first major screen role, which was opposite Bette Davis in the 1948 melodrama Winter Meeting,[3] a lavish failure for which he was lambasted in the press as being too inexperienced to play the part properly. His subsequent film career consisted of mostly B movies, many of them westerns, although he made an impression as a U.S. senator in the Warren Beatty conspiracy thriller The Parallax View. Davis performed in numerous television series episodes in the 1950s-1970s. After years of relatively low-profile roles, Davis was cast as family patriarch Jock Ewing on Dallas, which debuted in 1978. During season four, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma but continued to film the show as long as he could. In many scenes as the season progressed he was shown seated, and his voice became softer and more obviously affected by his illness. He wore a hairpiece to cover the hair he'd lost from chemotherapy. A season four storyline regarding the Takapa development and Jock's separation from Miss Ellie was ended abruptly at the end of season four. The writers depicted the couple suddenly leaving to go on an extended second honeymoon when it became obvious that Davis could no longer continue to work. Their departure in a limousine in the episode "New Beginnings" was Davis' only scene in that episode, and his condition was so poor that close watching reveals (based on his unsynchronized lip movement) that he overdubbed his one last line of dialogue. It was his final appearance on the show. He died of complications from his illness while season four was being aired.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 26, 1909
Died
April 26, 1981 (aged 71)
From
Edgerton, Platte County, Missouri, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
61 on MovieCove · 145 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 15% in 30 days

What are Jim Davis' films like?

Across their 39 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 39 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Grounded 31 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

Gentle 11 · Charged 21 · Intense 7

Steady 25 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced 27 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 1

Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 3

Casual 28 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 0

Resolved 34 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 8 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
8 of 21
Shadow
6 of 21
Mentor
3 of 21
Ally
2 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Threshold guardian
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Thrilling
12
Melancholic
10
Warm
8
Hopeful
7
Other
26

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jim Davis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 33 of their 61 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Subscription and free streaming for Jim Davis' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

145 credits, 61 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • The Day Time Ended(1979)

    as Grant Williams

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Comes a Horseman(1978)

    as Julie Blocker

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Killing Stone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Sen. Barry Tyler

  • Dallas(1978)

    Show 77 episodes · as Jock Ewing

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows
  • Trail of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Pop Apling

  • The Choirboys(1977)

    as Drobeck

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Just a Little Inconvenience(1977)

    as Dave Erickson

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Enigma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Colonel Valentine

  • Hunter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Quest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Law of the Land(1976)

    as Sheriff Pat Lambrose

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Runaway Barge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Capt. Buckshot Bates

  • Satan's Triangle(1975)

    as Hal

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • The Parallax View(1974)

    as George Hammond

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • The Cowboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 12 episodes · as Marshal Bill Winter

  • Inferno in Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Rocky Stratton

  • Deliver Us from Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Dixie

  • Kung Fu(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sheriff Grogan

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
  • Bad Company(1972)

    as Marshal

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · as Roy Johnson

  • Banacek(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed McKay

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • The Honkers(1972)

    as Sheriff Potter

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Sixth Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Trackers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Sheriff Naylor

  • Dracula vs. Frankenstein(1971)

    as Sgt. Martin

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Big Jake(1971)

    as Head of Lynching Party

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Night Gallery(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • Monte Walsh(1970)

    as Cal Brennan

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Rio Lobo(1970)

    as Riley

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Five Bloody Graves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Clay Bates

  • The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Ice House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Jake

  • The Road Hustlers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Noah Reedy

  • They Ran for Their Lives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Vince Ballard

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Robbins

  • Hondo and the Apaches(1967)

    as Krantz

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Guns of Will Sonnett (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Hawks

  • Fort Utah(1967)

    as Scarecrow

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • El Dorado(1966)

    as Jim Purvis

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • The Time Tunnel(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Col. Jim Bowie

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • The F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellis Bengston

  • Laredo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Zebra in the Kitchen(1965)

    as Adam Carlyle

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Branded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 2 episodes · as James Swaney

  • Daniel Boone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Carpenter · as Rafe Carson · as Sam Ralston

  • Iron Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Sgt. Walsh

  • Stoney Burke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Cardenas

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
  • Buttons and Her Beaus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • The Gambler Wore a Gun(1961)

    as Case Silverthorne

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Gunslinger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeb Crane

  • Frontier Uprising(1961)

    as Jim Stockton

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • The Magnificent Seven(1960)

    as Gunman at Boot Hill

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Outlaws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Aquanauts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Hogarth

  • The Tall Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Coronado 9 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Noose for a Gunman(1960)

    as Case Britton

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • Laramie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Hake Ballard

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny · as Sam Butler · as Sam Wolfe

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • Alias Jesse James(1959)

    as Frank James

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff

  • Yancy Derringer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Bullet Pike

  • A Lust to Kill(1958)

    as Marshal Matt Gordon

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
  • The Donna Reed Show(1958)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
  • Rescue 8 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 41 episodes · Actor

  • Flaming Frontier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Col. Hugh Carver

  • Wolf Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Jim Hughes

  • The Toughest Gun in Tombstone(1958)

    as Johnny Ringo

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Raiders of Old California(1957)

    as Angus Clyde McKane

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • 26 Men(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows
  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Capt. Joe Farrell · as George Tabor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • Wagon Train(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabe Henry

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Guns Don't Argue!(1957)

    as Police Captain Stewart / Narrator

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • The Quiet Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Ralph Carpenter

  • Last Stagecoach West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Bill Cameron

  • Apache Warrior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Ben Ziegler

  • Monster from Green Hell(1957)

    as Dr. Quent Brady

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • The Restless Breed(1957)

    as Ed Newton

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Four Women in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Sheriff

  • The Badge of Marshal Brennan(1957)

    as Jeff Harlan

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • The Silent Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Comm. W. J. 'Bill' Ruhe

  • Duel at Apache Wells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Dean Cannary

  • O. Henry Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Arnold

  • Frontier Gambler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Tony Burton

  • The Maverick Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as The Stranger

  • Blonde Bait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Nick Randall

  • The Wild Dakotas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Aaron Baring

  • The Bottom of the Bottle(1956)

    as George Cady

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • The Vanishing American (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Glendon

  • Last of the Desperados (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Chief Deputy John Poe

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · as Amos Carver · as Ben Rawlins · as Clell Williams · as Dave Carpenter · as Gainer · as Jim Basset · as Jubal Gray · as Luke Rumbaugh · as Sheriff Shackwood · as Wes Cameron

  • The Last Command(1955)

    as Ben Evans

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Timberjack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Poole

  • The Millionaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Driskill

  • Hell's Outpost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Sam Horne

  • The Outlaw's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Marshal Dan Porter

  • December Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lassie(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • The Outcast(1954)

    as Major Linton Cosgrave

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • The Big Chase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Brad Bellows

  • Jubilee Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Silky

  • Stories of the Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 39 episodes · as Matt Clark

  • Woman They Almost Lynched(1953)

    as Cole Younger

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Cole Treuitt

  • Ride the Man Down(1952)

    as Red Courteen

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • Cavalcade of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as J.L. Armstrong

  • Death Valley Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Ezra Meeker

  • The Big Sky(1952)

    as Streak

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Woman of the North Country(1952)

    as Steve Powell

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Gang Busters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rose of Cimarron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Willie Whitewater

  • Dangerous Assignment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 4 episodes · as Holcomb

  • The Sea Hornet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Tony Sullivan

  • Silver Canyon(1951)

    as Wade McQuarrie

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Little Big Horn(1951)

    as Cpl. Doan Moylan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Cavalry Scout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Lt. Spaulding

  • Oh! Susanna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Ira Jordan

  • Three Desperate Men(1951)

    as Fred Denton

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • California Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Lincoln 'Linc' Corey

  • The Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Cochran

  • The Cariboo Trail(1950)

    as Miller

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Hi-Jacked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Joe Harper

  • The Savage Horde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Lt. Mike Baker

  • Yes Sir, That's My Baby(1949)

    as Joe Tascarelli

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Brimstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Nick Courteen

  • Hellfire(1949)

    as Gyp Stoner

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Red Stallion In The Rockies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Dave Ryder

  • A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court(1949)

    as Slave Overseer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Winter Meeting(1948)

    as Slick Novak

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Fabulous Texan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Sam Bass

  • Merton of the Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Von Strutt's Assistant (uncredited)

  • Gallant Bess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Harry

  • Up Goes Maisie(1946)

    as Matthews (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Swing Shift Maisie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Investigator / Airport Announcer (Uncredited)

  • Pilot #5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Military Policeman

  • Stand by for Action(1942)

    as Talker (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • White Cargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Seaplane Pilot (uncredited)

  • Tennessee Johnson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Reporter (uncredited)

  • Keep 'Em Sailing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Joseph Cummins

  • Northwest Rangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Mountie with Warrant

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 144 titles from 1942 to 1981; peak year 1971.

Film career

19421981

Peak 1971 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting144 of 144: 144 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1940s17 · acting1950s67 · acting1960s30 · acting1970s28 · acting1980s2 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 12% of 17 roles
496474

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jim Davis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 49; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 61 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th18
  • 25th to 49th18
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 61 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed16

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 36 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Jim Davis work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jim Davis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Steve Fisher shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles